RECIPE #42 WHITE FLIES                          
                                                            
  Whiteflies are usually whiteish yellow with dull white    
  wings. They fly up in a cloud when disturbed.  They       
  are closely related to scales, mealybugs and aphids.      
  The first stage larvae are "crawlers" and are not         
  visible without a hand lens. The next stage looks         
  something like scale, is immobile, and secretes           
  honeydew.  Where you have whiteflies, there may be        
  black mold, and sticky, yellow or dried-out leaves.       
  They are a problem in various vegetables and              
  ornamentals, but usually not fruit trees, except          
  citrus where they are a problem. There is a whitefly      
  in the Imperial Valley that may be classified soon as     
  a separate species, which transmits viruses to            
  vegetables such as lettuce, melons and squash. They       
  reproduce rapidly in warm weather. Controls: control      
  dust and ants, especially on citrus. >> Use lots of       
  sticky yellow traps & face them out of direct sun but     
  towards the plants.  If you want to substitute            
  something that washes off for tanglefoot, you can use     
  a mix of petroleum jelly or mineral oil, and household    
  detergent (I guess they mean dish soap) 2 to 1 or 1 to    
  1. You do have to clean the traps as they get full.       
  Vaccuuming adults is another option, with a small         
  hand-vaccuum.  Put the vaccuum bag in a plastic bag in    
  the freezer to kill the flies (don't put the vaccuum      
  in the freezer). Whiteflies are not particularly          
  susceptible to pesticides, and have many natural          
  enemies, so spraying them often does more harm than       
  good. There is an insect growth regulator called          
  kinoprene (Enstar) that is also recommended, as well      
  as 2% horticultural oil in water. Marigolds may act to    
  repel them, nicotiana may be useful as a trap crop.       
  Predators are lacewings, bigeye bugs, minute pirate       
  bugs. Encarsia spp. parasites are advised for             
  greenhouse use.  
  
  Another way to     
  make sticky traps is to take yellow cardboard and cut     
  into strips, apply tanglefoot to it, replace when         
  full... but I never had to make them since finding the    
  insecticidal soap when they first come flying into the    
  garden or nursery, kills them before they set up          
  nesting spots or get to lay eggs... Soak that soil        
  well and remember to rinse a couple hrs after you         
  apply... and don't do it when the sun is the              
  hottest... I do it early morning or on cloudy days        
  myself IF I have the need to...                           
                                                            
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